Tuesday 14 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

From the letters that I have been getting from you, I take it that my wife is still very ambitious. Painting, sewing, and cleaning, you sure are doing quite a job on our house. Too bad that I am not present so that I can appreciate it. It makes me very happy that you take so much pride in always improving our home. The time will come when we will have our own home.

Do you know that your husband is madly in love with you and can hardly wait for the day when he can take you in his arms again. Funny guy this husband of yours, all he wants is to be sent home. Nobody can blame him, seeing that the most beautiful wife in the world is waiting for him.

You’re so understanding, how could I help but love you. Even though you hate to write letters, every day you manage to write a letter to me, because you know how much I look forward to your letters.

I can imagine how the little girl upstairs must have been with the two indians that we have. Poor kid was probably frightened to death.

By the way, I received a box from Estelle and it was just what I asked for - peppermint patties. She sent me four pound boxes from Pages. The piece that I had was very good. I am only kidding. I passed one box around and got the empty box in return. Have started my second box. They were in very good condition in spite of crossing the equator. Candy from the old country sure tastes good. Funny but I have very little craving for candy. After a meal a peppermint pattie tastes good though.

The wheel barrow is a very nice toy as it helps exercise almost all muscles of the body. I am glad that Bobby likes to play with it. Maybe the youngsters believe in the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It is partly your own fault for going back to bed and leaving them up. The sin of the apple theft will be on your conscience.

Tell Lorraine D. that taking care of somebody else’s baby is a very poor way of satisfying her motherly instincts. Tell her that any time she wishes that I can take care of the matter and guarantee results.

What back pay is it that Mother got? It was a nice amount to get just before Xmas anyhow.

It is about time that they fixed the ceiling for you. Gosh I will probably go right past the house if there are many more improvements.

One question if I may, you say that you hemtoned the walls. What is hemmtoned? Please spell it.

[Kem-Tone Wall Finish?]

Now for some news of what I did. Late Saturday afternoon I was wilting from the heat so I grabbed my bathing suit and went in town to a swimming pool. I followed the directions that one of my Sgts gave me on how to get there and made it without getting lost. They are called baths over here. Beach bathing is called surfing.

Sunday morning I got up early and went down to the Red Cross. They send out a couple of trucks to the beach each Sunday and a couple more out to a mountain. They have picnic lunches and have a good time. I went to the beach and wore myself out swimming.

Historical Postcard of Ogunquit Beach/Marginal Way

The woman in charge of the outing got talking to me and her uncle goes up to Ogunquit every summer.
We had quite a chat. She got a big kick out of the pictures that I carry of my family.

For lunch we had hot dogs, cheese, tomatoes, celery & soft drinks. I enjoyed myself very much.

Give my regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me. I love you Sweetheart.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Friday 10 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

How’s my favorite wife these days? Sounds as though I had a harem, doesn’t it. I wonder what it would be like to have a wife for every day of the month. I can just picture thirty females battling over the same man. There is only one woman for me though and that is you. I guess it is because I love you so much. I do you know. Without my love for you, I would be a very lost guy. It is something that I can depend on when everything else seems to be going to hell.

Your husband is starting to get into condition. Every day I put on a heavy wool undershirt, work pands & work shoes and go out and do a little running and calisthenics. I am getting too fat & too soft, so I decided to sweat some beer out of me and toughen up a little. I usually start at 10:30 and quit at 11:30. An hour each day should do the trick. Right now my legs are a bit stiff from running though.

As I write this letter, I am dragging on my pipe that I bought on the ship. Hard as I try, I still can not get used to a pipe.

The proper way to paint is with a brush. You’re not supposed to daub it on with your fingers or feet. You must have been a cute looking sight with paint all over you.

It was always my impression that it was men who never grow up, but I guess that women are very little different from men. Did you enjoy your Halloween party?

Neglecting your husband, huh? Letter #135 was supposed to be a long one, and what do I get? Just two pages. Keep on neglecting me like that and I will go home and beat you up. I understand how things are. You have your day all planned and what happens. Something unforeseen comes along and, phit, goes your plans.

So Bobby is trying to learn to swim in the bath tub. He must have been funny looking when he swallowed the water.

It is hard to tell how much longer this war is going to continue. If all hostilities would stop tomorrow it would be twenty four hours too long. The way things look at present, it will be some time yet before we can write finis to this mess.

Hate to hear about anyone like the girl that you were telling me about. A great many times it is not the fault of the person. Circumstances and everything has to be taken into consideration. Without a doubt she is better off.

It made me happy to hear that Bea & Paul’s youngster is walking. I often wondered if he ever would. Let’s hope that the next one does not give her as much trouble as this one did.

Paul has been fortunate to be stationed in N.Y.C. for as long as he has. It is about time that he went over. Mercenary, aren’t I?

Stop worrying about Roland & Marion. It is their life to live as they see fit. Nothing we could do would make any difference to them.

If you keep buying things for the house, I will not recognize my own home when I return. It makes me happy to know that you take pride in keeping our home up to date.

Well Sweetheart I must leave you for now so: Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me. I love you my Darling Wife.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Tuesday 7 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

It is a marvelous day out and it makes me feel slightly lazy. Spring fever or something I guess. What I feel like doing is to stretch out on a beach in the sun. That would be ideal if you could be with me.

I do not understand how it can be possible for me to love you anymore than I do, but from day to day my love for you is getting bigger. If I stay over here very long I am sure to explode from love of you.

Sunday we went to a baseball game between the Army & Navy. The Engineers furnished a whole team for half of the game and the other half was made up of a team from other units around here. We got the pants trimmed off of us by the Navy. It was mostly due to the fact that they had six major league players in their lineup.

Tell Roland Thurber that they pitched Charlie Wagner - Benny McCoy FstB - Phil Rizzuto SS - Rocco English 3rd B - Don Padgett LF & Dom Dimaggio CF. The Army lost 17-0. The Engineers held them to five runs in the first half of the game. I was like a kid at his first circus and enjoyed the game very much. It was played at the Exhibition Grounds in Brisbane and a goodly crowd was there.

http://blog.nola.com/entertainment/2007/11/new_world_war_ii_museum_exhibi.html

From letter #131 you sure are raising H--- around the house. Getting very ambitious lately, aren’t you? Expecting your husband home? Or maybe it is the milk man. Anyhow I am glad to see that you are keeping my workshops in order.

Yes they are Xmas gifts if you must know so stop being so curious. You will get what is coming to you eventually.

There are some very nice beaches around but due to transportation it is a bit hart to get out to them.

By golly, Arthur & Lorraine certainly have something to be proud of. Their son is a very nice looking youngster. I feel sorry for Arthur that he has never seen his son. He is not the only one that is that way though. There are a great many men in the Army today who have never seen their youngsters.

The youngsters did alright for their birthdays. They should have toys enough to last them for awhile. Too many toys is apt to spoil them though.

Well Sweetheart I must close as I have run out of words.

I told Mother about getting out more and not to center her life around the youngsters. A trip to Hartford will do her a world of good and I kind of hope she gets a job and stays there for awhile.

Darling, I love you with all my heart. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Sat. 4 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

This is only a hold over until I can get more time to write to you. I am doing my best to write every other day but there are times that it is impossible to do so. A couple of my men have taken pictures of me and if I can pull a little rank on them I will send you a print of them.

You would get a kick out of seeing me iron my suntans. You see I wear suntans all the time now and I am lucky if they last the day out. Laundry facilities are such that I have one of the men do them for me and then I was ironing them myself. I have gotten so that I can do a good job on them. The only trouble is that we can not get starch. They do not look to bad never the less.

Last night at the theatre they were showing “High Sierra” and I wanted to see it. It never fails to happen, it stated to rain and the power went off. Oh well, I may get to see it some day. The lights were off all over camp so I went to bed early for a change.

I can picture the youngsters during their party. They certainly must have enjoyed themselves. Too bad that I could not be there. I would have loved to be there to watch them. It must have been funny to see them opening their presents.

If Roland wants to have some of the letter published that I sent to him I do not care. My memory is bad and I do not recall exactly what I did write. He must have gotten a boot out of it anyhow.

Well Sweetheart give my regards to all the folks and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Thursday 2 Nov. 1944

Dearest Kitten:

As the holidays draw closer, my thoughts are ever wandering back to the hustle and rush of past years and I seem to fail to warm up with the expectations that these future events used to arouse in me. It perhaps is mainly due to the fact that I will be so far from the ones that I desire to be with during these times.

Gosh but I love you Sweetheart. It is a sad fact that I am afflicted with that fatal disease called love. It is fatal because I will have to go through all my life with love in my heart. Funny but I do not mind it a bit. In fact seeing as you are the cause, I like it very much.

From now on please do not send your manuscripts to me. I am not a publisher. Just kidding you about the long letter that you wrote to me. Boy what a pip. Eighteen pages long is a very large letter. Thanks I enjoyed it very much.

Your husband has been busy as a little beaver. Everything seems to happen at once. You know that saying, it never rains but what it pours. Same way in the army. Everything goes along O.K. and then all at once there are a thousand and one things that have to be done.

Getting real ambitious lately aren’t you?

Have you gotten Bobby to wash his own hands and face? He certainly is growing up fast. Remember when I used to give him his exercise on the bathenette. How he used to laugh. And Barby, that little flirt, just like her mother. Gosh but I miss them. I am missing the fun of watching my children grow up. When this is all over, I hope to make up for it though.

You want to take advantage of every day possible. Whenever it is nice out, go out and enjoy the day. Soon it will be too cold for you to go out and stay very long, so at every opportunity enjoy the outdoors.

I hope that we may be able to live in the country after this as it will be better for the youngsters. They will be healthier and better off all around in the country.

Say who is this heel that you lost? Oh pardon me, I see now that it was the heel of your shoe.

Just like her mother, Barby is starting young isn’t she. David had better watch out or he will be henpecked like me.

The next time that you see Charlie, tell him that I had nothing to do with it, even if Tess does want to give a boy my name.

Roger is lucky to be put in the Navy. He will be a lot better off than in the Army with his sight.

I will send another ring for Barby. So do not feel too bad about it.

Was sorry to hear about Paul Couture. From now on you will be hearing more and more about casualties as our men are really in the thick of it now. I would like to write Mrs. Gagnon a letter but I do not have her address. If you can find it for me, please send it.

What do you mean that through Barby you will be living your childhood over again? When did you grow up?

How many times must I tell you not to jump at conclusions. When my mail stops for a while then you can give it a few thoughts, but every time that something happens, stop thinking that I am right in the middle of it.

You are very fortunate that there are a few honest people left in the world. You had better get a new catch on your bracelet as soon as possible.

Well Sweetheart I must close now as duty calls. I love you Beautiful Wife. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Monday 30 Oct, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

How lonesome I am for you. It seems like years since the last time that I kissed you. A great many things have happened since then and a lot of water passed under me, yeh damn near the whole width of the Pacific. Still I can visualize you just as plain as if I had seen you yesterday.

My dreams and hopes are centered around you and the babies. All I need now is the opportunity to carry them out. And yet I am still not certain just what I want when I return home. One thing that I am sure of is that I want to be with you always.

Letter #128 came tonight and I was glad to see that my package arrived OK and that you liked it. The third bracelet was meant for Mother. I wrote to you about it in a letter the same day that the package was mailed, telling you about the contents so that you would not throw anything away thinking that it was only the packaging.

I am getting another package assembled for you but it will be some time before I get what I want.

You sure get your visitors in bunches. It breaks the monotony of doing the same thing day after day.

Yesterday my mess sgt., Sgt. Troise and myself took a train to one of the beaches about forty miles away and went for a swim. What a crowd. We had about two hours on the beach and then started back. We left at 12:30 by train then had to transfer to a bus before we reached the beach at 2:30, then started back at five. We had dinner out there and supper in town. Was I tired when I reached camp last night as I had to stand going both ways.

We ate supper at a Chinese restaurant. While I was up getting some orangeade at the counter, Sgt. Troise talked the waitress into bringing me chopsticks to eat my chinese soup, noodle soup. He told her that I had spent ten years in China before the war. You should have seen all the people watching me try to manipulate the chopsticks. Sgt. Troise had hidden my spoon from me. Finally he took pity on me and gave me my spoon, so I did not starve. An enjoyable time was had by both of us.

We tried to wolf a few of the bathing beauties, question mark, but the wedding rings scared them too much. Sgt. Troise is married also. We had a good time figuring out the different approaches we would use on the different gals we saw. We got a lot of laughs out of it anyhow. We talked a good wolfing game anyhow.

Don’t get to be too much of a stick at home. When I return home you are apt to want to stay home all that time, and that will never do.

Yeah, I’d consider taking you out some time. How much dough are you worth? If it is enough I might even consider marrying you if you promise to support me in a manner to which I am unaccustomed.

So my youngsters are proud of their gifts. They should be as their daddy wants them to always be proud of him.

Does a fish swim? Does a bird fly? Do I love you? Boy, and how. Know what question I am answering.

Good night, Sweetheart. Regards to everyone and kiss the babies for me. I love you.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Did you know that I loved you? Honest I do. When I think of you, I get poetic, but unfortunately my abilities are such that it’s impossible for me to compose the poetry that would do you justice. The following is an example.

Roses are red, Violets are blue, I’m damn lonesome, How the hell are you?

See what I mean? The feeling is there but the words aren’t. So Beautiful you will have to be content with a man that is just an ordinary guy. Of course to you I am the greatest guy that ever lived. If you do not think so, then you do not truly love me. I am not worrying because I know how you feel.

To me you are the greatest little Sheela, Babe to you, that ever lived.

Tell Pauline for me that she had better forget about the sergeant in the picture. His name is Betcher and he is very much in love with his wife. Just like your husband.

I received my first Xmas card from Ray & Cle. They certainly mailed it early enough. This will be my second Xmas away from home. I plan to get stinko too. Last Xmas I stayed cold sober but not this Xmas. Last year I was about the only sober man in my company. I do not plan to make the same mistake again. Of course I will have to stay under cover away from the rest of the company as it is bad business for any sergeant to be seen by his men in that condition.

It is nice and warm today and it makes me feel like going in for a swim. Too bad but a cold shower will have to suffice. Tomorrow I may get a chance to go in for a swim.

I have a confession to make. I had planned to write a letter to both Barby and Bobby on their birthdays and I never got around to Barby and here it is Bobby’s birthday and I do not feel up to writing to him. So do me a favor and give them both an extra big hug & kiss for me. I know that you probably already have taken care of it, but given’em a go again.

The men in my Company have hung up a record in a certain type of work that will stand for some time to come. Now they are after a different record that will also stand for a long time. The work is in the construction of the barges. Sorry but that is all that I can tell you about it. Some day I may be able to tell you all about it and draw pictures and maps. In a couple of years maybe.

Well, Sweetheart, last night I was feeling down in the dumps and Sgt. Ryan & Donohoe took me over to the club and wanted to get me plastered and feeling the way that I was, I decided to go to a show and then to bed. They did their best to get me to take a drink but the only thing that I had was a coke. This morning I was feeling good and was just as happy that I did not take anything to drink. The beer over here is like a weak whisky and it does not take much to get high on.

I can not get over the last pictures that you sent me. Every time I look at them I feel so proud to have such a nice family.

Afraid that I am all unwound so until later I love you Beautiful. Give my regards to all the folks and kiss the babies for me.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob